When I got my SR500 it had a very cheap after market muffler on it that quickly broke. I have the original muffler, but the header pipe had been changed so it didn't fit any more. Rather then pay for, and change the header pipe and go with the original muffler (which weighs a ton, by the way ) I got a good deal on some very clean sportster mufflers and put them on. They look good, sound much better then the cheapo muffler that was on the bike, (not surprising ) so I'm happy with them. I don't know what the original sounds like, so I can't compare the two.

Trust me, yours sounds better!

__________________Ever get lost? You know, that good kind of lost - come to a dirt road intersection and you have no idea where you are or which way to turn? I like when that happens!

The ones I have are the stock mufflers off an '03 and free. I think it would muffle it down a bit but they are a bit heavy. not to bad though. But last night I was fitting them up and I think I like the Dunstall replica muffler that I have. It's the 27 1/4" long one and it's new. I'd just need to buy the other. I like the way they look when they are upswept and run out close to even with the rear of the rear tire. Now I just need to find some decent CB head pipes and some upsweep adapters. I'd like to build my own system but that would cost me more buying a builders kit that has straights, mandrel bends and all that. Got to get this all figured out and done before I tear it down for paint and powder coat.

Not really, the chrome or coating would be the major cost. You can buy mandrel U bends from J.C. Whitney. You can eve get stainless That's where I got the regular steel bends for my SR500 high pipe - less than $30 back when we did this one, probably under $40 now. the muffler is an overly loud cheap Emgo special:

But if you already have good head pipes it makes sense to go with some low set up. Maybe you can find a chrome kick up deal to put on them.

My comment was a suggestion if you were building a set. Do check out Whitney, you could maybe get stainles bends to do the kick up.

__________________Ever get lost? You know, that good kind of lost - come to a dirt road intersection and you have no idea where you are or which way to turn? I like when that happens!

Not really, the chrome or coating would be the major cost. You can buy mandrel U bends from J.C. Whitney. You can eve get stainless That's where I got the regular steel bends for my SR500 high pipe - less than $30 back when we did this one, probably under $40 now. the muffler is an overly loud cheap Emgo special:

But if you already have good head pipes it makes sense to go with some low set up. Maybe you can find a chrome kick up deal to put on them.

My comment was a suggestion if you were building a set. Do check out Whitney, you could maybe get stainles bends to do the kick up.

Nice! I like that. I really want to do my own system. I may as well take the time and do it exactly the way I want it.

Mark,
i've long admired that exhaust on your sr500 and would like to try something like that on my SR500. So you did that yourself?

Sorry for the hi-jack

To both you and the OP...

I just ran into a guy at the Columbus Easyrider show - yes choppers, but you never know what you might find or learn - who sells mandrel bent pipe for reasonable money. You can even tell him what length of straight you want on the 180 bend or anything in between. I think he's competitive with even JC Whitney.

Call Rick Diehl at Grumpy's Customsand talk with him. He can set you up with the pipe in the diameter you may need. He has that kit thing on the site, but you can just buy the individual bends rather than some kit. Tell him the guy from Krieger Cam Chain Tensionersthat talked to him at Easyrider Show told you about him. Might get either you or me brownie points.

By the way, the pipe for an SR500 per Gordon Jennings' work is 33" from head to end of pipe with 1-5/8 ID. That also checked out with the flat track pipe I used to have on my first SR500, same dimensions. He said he was thinking it was about $15 per bend and you only need two 3" radius 180s and one 45 degree bend which will duck the pipe behind the kick starter and might not be the full $15 since it takes less pipe for the small kink, but you may need to make a small block to hold the kick starter out a half inch. I could take a picture of the little block I made and mounted on one side cover screw.

I'm thinking a twin could have a sweet set of pipes made with two 180 bend pipes with a foot or so of straight on at least one end of the bend. Do some figuring and you can do some cool stuff. It's all mandrel bent so you don't have those necked down areas like some muffler shop will have.

If either of you make a pipe set don't forget to put the new exhaust gasket into the head while building the pipe, otherwise you screw up the mount point... don't ask how I know that, took a fair amount of grinding to make things work since I had already had it plated and couldn't just cut and reweld. Doing the whole thing is kind of rewarding since no one has anything like it anywhere else. A set of flat track pipes for a CB would look cool or some Gold Star or Norton swept back pipes could be made quite easily and probably under $200 less mufflers. If you found some company that made the pipes they'd cost you like $500 or more if you could find them anywhere else.

In addition, Rick can cut out the flange mount set up you may need for the SR. The Hondas use a sort of shim deal and a ring may need welded on the inlet to make a shoulder. We split a scrap of pipe and fitted it on the SR.

A recommendation is to have a pipe JetHot coated. It isn't cheap but it lasts and lasts and lasts - without cleaning or anything. No blue on the head pipe either. I have my KLX pipe JetHot coated and after ten years it still looks good, and I never actually make an effort to clean it up just washing it whenever I wash the bike - which isn't too often. The coating also acts as an insulator cutting radiated heat from the pipes and keeping up the internal exhaust heat for higher velocity. In other words no need to put wrap on it and no paint to burn off. It's worth it.

Gad Van! I just looked and saw he's right down by you in NC somewhere. He's in Harrisburg NC!

__________________Ever get lost? You know, that good kind of lost - come to a dirt road intersection and you have no idea where you are or which way to turn? I like when that happens!